Player Profile: Jeremy Lin
by Jimmy Tsai
You could call him the “Great Yellow Hope.” At 6′ 3,” Harvard University guard Jeremy Lin is perhaps the most prominent Asian-American basketball player since Watura “Wat” Misaka. While there have been a number of notable Asian imports–Yao Ming, Yi Jian-Lian, Wang Zhi-Zhi–there hasn’t been a true product of Asian America to crack the NBA since Misaka broke the [...]
Player Profile: Mark Chung
Midfielder Mark Chung was born in Toronto of Chinese Jamaican parents and grew up playing soccer in Florida. After attending the University of South Florida, Chung played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League (for the San Diego Sockers) before being drafted into Major Leage Soccer in the first round. He went on to play for [...]
Player Profile: Eugene Amano
At 6′3″, 310 pounds, 27 year old Eugene Amano defies the stereotype that Asian athletes are undersized for the NFL. An All-American at Southeast Missouri State, Amano was drafted into the league in 2004 and is now going into his sixth season as an offensive lineman with the Tennessee Titans. Amano is known for his [...]
Player Profile: Anthony Kim
Dallas-based golfer Anthony Kim is a rising star on the green. The 24 year old Korean American turned pro in 2006 and started turning heads with impressive performances his first two years on the PGA tour, including big wins at the Wachovia Championship and AT&T National in 2008. He has also helped the US national [...]
Player Profile: Derrick Low
Guard Derrick Low was a standout starter for the Washington State University, leading the cougars to the NCAA tournament, including the Sweet 16 in 2008. The 6’2” Asian American from Hawaii scored over 1,000 points during his career at WSU and a career-high 27 points against Oregon. Low was named to the All Pac-10 First [...]
Player Profile: Brian Ching
This past October, the U.S. National Soccer team qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in South Africa. Several Major League Soccer players have been called up to help the U.S. team secure its berth in the tournament, included 31-year-old Brian Ching. The powerful forward of the Houston Dynamos is the [...]
Player Profile: Hideaki Matsui
After spending ten seasons as a superstar for the Yomiuri Giants, Hideaki Matsui proved that he is in fact an international superstar. While in Japan, the 35-year-old designated hitter—who throws right-handed and bats with his left hand—won three titles with the Giants, made nine consecutive all-star game appearances, and led the league in home runs [...]
Player Profile: Ryo Ishikawa
Japan’s 18-year-old golf phenom Ryo Ishikawa recently received his invitation to this year’s U.S. Masters after turning in an impressive performance in 2009. The “Bashful Prince,” as he is nicknamed, turned pro at just 16, and went on to make his PGA Tour debut in February of 2009. He has also won five tournaments on [...]
Player Profile: Brandon Yip
Right wing Brandon Yip was called up to play in the NHL for Colorado mid-December and has since been a strong presence for the Avalanche. The 6’1” Vancouver native recently won an NCAA National Championship victory with Boston University in 2009 before debuting on the Avalanche roster at the end of this past year.
So far [...]
Player Profile: Minor League Prospects
Keep an eye out for several Asian American minor league baseball players looking for their chance to break into the majors. 24-year-old shortstop Darwin Barney won the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year award and was a Freshman All-American at Oregon State. He helped the OSU Beavers win back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007, for which [...]
Player Profile: Ivana Hong
2009 has been a busy year for 16-year-old Ivana Hong. Though she goes to a regular high school (a rarity amongst elite gymnasts), Hong is no ordinary 11th grader. The 4’10” Chinese-American teenager recently placed first on the balance beam and second overall at the 2009 Visa Championships, as well as claiming the bronze medal [...]
Player Profile: Sho Nakamori
With a nickname like “Sho-nuff,” Sho Nakamori has shown that he has more than enough talent and determination to reach the pinnacle of the gymnastics world. The 23-year-old Japanese-American from Oakland followed in the footsteps of his parents (his father was a member of the Japanese National Team), racking up a long list of awards [...]
Player Profile: Vania King
At only 20 years old, Vania King has already had a solid professional tennis career. The 5’5” Taiwanese American from Monterey Park turned pro back in 2006, and has since added one singles and eight doubles titles to her impressive resume.
2009 has been a busy year for King, who made it to the mixed doubles [...]
Player Profile: Ji-Sung Park
With the South Korean national soccer team’s recent qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Manchester United midfielder Ji-Sung Park is gearing up to represent Asia in international competition.
After moving to Japan to play for Kyoto Purple Sanga, Park moved to the Netherlands, where he helped PSV Eindoven reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions [...]
Player Profile: Hines Ward
Wide receiver Hines Ward is one of the NFL’s most accomplished and versatile players. After a celebrated high school career, he turned down a professional baseball contract to play the quarterback position at the University of Georgia. After replacing an injured running back, Ward worked as a tailback, wideout and receiver, adding to his repertoire [...]
